Translator: Storm in a Teacup
They paused for a second, and then Qin Guihe unsheathed his sword, aiming straight at Qin Siyi’s head. The latter never showed a slightest sign of retaliation, instead, he dodged and flitted around in the palace while his brother was chasing behind him. At last, Qi Luo came up and stopped their childish behavior, “If the Exalt knew that you are acting like this, he will surely punish you again.”
Of course, Qin Guihe knew that Qi Luo was talking about him instead of his brother. The younger Dharmapala pouted and remained quiet.
Fiend Cultivators were busy minding their own business in the Fiend Palace, while on Tai Hua Mountain, Hao Xingzi received a letter from Xuan Lingzi. The leader of Tai Hua Mountain was aware that there was no time to waste, so he sent messages to the Four Sects and the Eight Families, asking them to send representatives to Tai Hua Mountain so that they could discussion how and when to eliminate the Demon Beasts foisted by their enemy in the Thirty-six States a hundred years ago.
The meeting lasted for three days and three nights. At the end of the discussion, Sir Hao Xingzi summarized, “In the last one hundred years, these pawns were never a threat because peace was still kept between two clans. Now, however, the contract exists no more, and the Demon Clan might start the war at any moment, so we need to make sure the foisted Demon Beasts are rendered worthless by us. The Demon Beasts are very good at concealing their senses so that they are extremely hard to find. Even though, this would still be our priority for now. After you guys returned to your sects, sent out cultivators immediately in search of these hidden enemies. This must be solved within one year!”
Everyone could tell Sir Hao Xingzi was serious about this matter.
The Elder of Duan Hun Sect was about to ask for some extra benefits for his sect. The moment he opened his mouth, however, Sir Hao Xingzi’s sword was unsheathed. The latter questioned coldly, “We must unite as one when we are facing the same enemy! Now what? Duan Hun Sect’s personal benefit is even greater than the safety of all the human beings in the world?!”
That was a strong criticism. The Elder of Duan Hun Sect shut up eventually.
At the same time, a hundred miles away from Tai Hua Mountain, Luo Jianqing and Xuan Lingzi finally arrived at a city of some renown – Ying Feng City.
The city was under the government of Wu Sha Kingdom which was closest to Tai Hua Mountain. As a part of Liu State, Wu Sha was just one common Kingdom of dozens of others in Liu State. In a city like Ying Feng, cultivators weren’t rarely seen, and actually many would stop there for a rest. Therefore, when Luo Jianqing and Xuan Lingzi entered the city, a guide soon approached them, at their service.
Following their guide, Luo Jianqing and Xuan Lingzi didn’t spend much time on finding a hotel which served cultivators specifically. After paying the guide a Spiritual Stone and watching him leave, Luo Jianqing and Xuan Lingzi entered the hotel and rented a Premium Chamber.
After settling down in the room, the two doffed their travel suit and changed a more casual outfit, and went out again.
Luo Jianqing said, “Though I have been to a city of commoners before, I never had time to really roam around the street and enjoy the exotic view. When I was still a Foundation-Establishment-Period cultivator, I’ve taken novice disciples to Liu State so that they could gain experience, and Ying Feng City was exactly where we stopped and rested. They’ve got a tasty dessert here, called the Wind Cake.”
Having had Bi Gu for years, Xuan Lingzi never had any interest in snacks, but he noticed his disciple was delighted and seemed like excited about this dessert, so he asked, “Why is it called the Wind Cake?”
Beaming wittily, Luo Jianqing told him, “That is because there is a special and unique ingredient in it – the honey of Wind Resting Flower. Imagine that the cake gradually melts on your tongue and there is the sweetness of Wind Resting Flower lingering in your mouth like a breeze wafting around, sounds great, right?”
Soon, Luo Jianqing found the one and only Wind Cake store in the city.
Though the Wind Cake was extremely expensive since it contained a first-grade Spiritual Herb – the Wind Resting Flower, many was still lining up, willing to pay the expense in exchange for the novel taste. Luo Jianqing took Xuan Lingzi to the end of the line, and started waiting.
When it was their turn, there was only one piece left. Luo Jianqing paid three Low-grade Spiritual Stone for a piece of Wind Cake. The moment they stepped away from the store, a soft, weeping sound reached their ears – these two talented cultivators had extremely good hearing.
Tilting his head, Luo Jianqing saw a little girl who was about six-year-old wiping out tears by her chubby little hand. He could tell that the girl tried her best to lower her voice, but tears still streamed out from her eyes.
The lady who held the child seemed like her mother. Comforting the little one in her arms, the mother took her daughter away and left the store.
On their way back, the girl’s eyes were still lingering on the empty tray which the store used to place all the Wind Cakes. Tears welling up in her eyes, she failed to hold them back, crying quietly.
The mother and daughter were waiting behind Luo Jianqing a moment ago. Anyone could tell what was going on right now.
Luo Jianqing stared at their backs blankly for a few seconds, and, eventually, he sighed and broke the cake in half. Putting one half into Xuan Lingzi’s palm, Luo Jianqing caught the pair of mother and daughter, putting the other half in the little girl’s hands.
Suddenly getting a piece of Wind Cake from a stranger, the girl was surprised. Galzed, she looked at Luo Jianqing.
Her mother realized what Luo Jianqing was doing, “It’s okay, it’s okay! You’ve waited for so long in the line for this piece of cake. We could come earlier tomorrow. You don’t need to do this.”
Luo Jianqing smiled, “It’s just a piece of Wind Cake. We were just wondering what it tastes like, that’s all, but the little one is going to cry if she doesn’t get one.”
The lady was insisting on giving it back to Luo Jianqing. Though the girl was staring at the Wind Cake and constantly swallowing saliva, she didn’t say anything to stop her mother from returning the cake. At last, realizing that Luo Jianqing really didn’t want to take the Wind Cake away, the mother took out two piece of low-grade Spiritual Stone and said, “At least I need to pay for it. The Wind Cake is no cheap thing.”
Luo Jianqing seized this perfect moment and left when the mother was fumbling the Spiritual Stone in her purse.
When Luo Jianqing and his Master left the Wind Cake Store, the disciple felt relieved and looked at Xuan Lingzi, “Gosh, I just couldn’t bear the crying of a little girl. I remember when I was little, I could do nothing about it every single time when Little Sister cried in front of me; I would literally do anything she asked. I just couldn’t resist, especially to a girl as cute and delicate as this one. A single droplet of tear is enough for me to say ‘yes’ to their any request.”
Xuan Lingzi commented expressionlessly, “You treat your Little Sister well, I can see.”
Without thinking too much about it, Luo Jianqing continued, “Of course, she is MY Little Sister. The seven of us grew up together. The Third Younger Sister was already a teenager when she joined Tai Hua Mountain, but Little Sister came to our mountain as a little chubby girl. Master, I’ll tell you a secret – Little Sister was actually a very naughty girl when she was young. Remember that you’ve sentenced me to the Penalty Gate for a dozen of time? Nine out of ten times I was a scapegoat for Little Sister or the Fourth Younger Brother… eh…”
Noticing an aloof look on Xuan Lingzi’s visage, Luo Jianqing trembled, but he didn’t know why he was suddenly caught by coldness. Without having much expression on his face, Xuan Lingzi was gazing at the ground. His lips puckered slightly, and he was indeed greatly upset.
Listening to his heartbeat thumping loudly inside his own chest, Luo Jianqing pondered and still asked, “Master, are you alright? What’s wrong?”
Xuan Lingzi replied with a distant look.
Suddenly, an answer struck Luo Jianqing, “Wait, are you jealous of Little Sister? Seriously? Master, that’s Little Sister! How could you be jealous of her? I only take her as my sister, and you knew it better than anyone that I made it clear with her a long time ago, you…”
“Did you introduce that friend of yours to your Little Sister?”
Luo Jianqing, “…”
Speechless, Luo Jianqing asked, “Are you talking about Mo Qiu?”
Xuan Lingzi nodded.
“Master, could you please give up that weird idea which doesn’t make any sense at all? They’ve met each other when Mo Qiu came to Tai Hua Mountain for the first time. The only word they said to each other was ‘hello’ and that’s it! There was not and never will be any story between them! They do not match at all!”
Xuan Lingzi was calm and asserted, “They have some similarities.”
“Wearing red clothes is the only so-called similarities, and that doesn’t count, okay?” Not wanting to talk about this with his Master right now, Luo Jianqing changed the topic, “I almost forgot, where is the half of that Wind Cake I gave you?”
Showing his disciple a pair of empty hands, Xuan Lingzi said in a flat tone, “I ate it.”
Luo Jianqing, “…”
Oh come on Master! Fine, you could be jealous of Little Sister, but you should have left some of the Wind Cake for me!
